Earth Day

At last the air has warmed and I now feel like going outside. In fact, Pat and I took our first hike of the year several days ago with two of our children and their dogs. While there was still ice on a part of the trail the hike lifted our spirits immensely. It was so good to smell the air, see new growth and hear and see the birds. It was a wonderful reminder of how important the earth is to our daily well being. We so often forget this and take our earth for granted.

I am, though, reminded by the indigenous peoples whenever I meet with them, of the importance of Mother Earth. To them, every day is earth day. It is routine for them to say a prayer before a meeting thanking the creator for Mother earth and reminding us everything is connected – the sun, the land, the water, the birds and the animals. Furthermore, it is everyone’s responsibility to look after the earth. To indigenous peoples the land is sacred. It is what gives us life.

To most Indigenous people, individual ownership of land is a foreign concept. When they refer to ownership it is by all the peoples. This different approach to ownership and stewardship over the years has led to great tensions between Indigenous Peoples and non-Indigenous Peoples, resulting in much exploitation and environmental degradation, primarily by non-indigenous peoples.

In my opinion, we can learn so much from the Indigenous Peoples, not the least of which is stewardship and reverence for the land on which we live. If we take time to listen, it could save the planet.

Miigwetch  

Till next time.

Chris Snyder